Diver Adrift for Three Days Survives Thirst and Hallucinations

A former navy diver who was rescued after more than three days drifting in open sea off New Zealand has said he feared his hallucinations more than thirst or despair.

Robert Hewitt, 38, disappeared on Sunday off Mana island, north of Wellington. He was found yesterday after two navy divers used local knowledge to track down their friend and former colleague.

When they came across him, floating 500 meters off the coast of the island, Mr Hewitt was wearing only the bottom of his dive suit and had begun to fear he was losing his mind. "Honestly with the hallucinations that I had, especially yesterday, I don’t think I would have made last night," he told a New Zealand radio network from his Wellington hospital bed.

He said he started hallucinating toward the end of his ordeal, after three days without drinking water and nothing to eat but a crawfish and four sea urchins he caught while diving.

"I honestly thought yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon I was at home," he told NewstalkZB. "I started taking off some of my gear, here and there, floundering around like I was lost."

Mr Hewitt said that he tried to keep his mind on surviving even though his hopes of being rescued faded as he continued to drift. "Just one crayfish and four kina [sea urchins], after the first night I knew I had enough sustenance for 24 hours," he said.

Empathy had also played its part. "I must say I was dying of thirst, but you look at the young kids overseas who haven’t got water to drink so I just put myself in a mental state like that," he said.

Once back on dry land land, Mr Hewitt became even more philosophical about his experiences. "I shed a few kilos, but maybe they were the kilos that needed to be shed," he said.

His brother Norm, a former All Black, said the family, who are part Maori, had been praying to Tangaroa, the Maori sea god, for his brother’s safe return.

"Monday felt surreal, when we thought we had lost him," he said. "Today feels surreal. Our prayers have been answered."

He described his brother’s survival as "a miracle" and added: "There’ll be elation, there’ll be a lot of tears, there’ll be a lot of prayer, there’ll be a lot of things happening."

Helen Clark, New Zealand’s prime minister, said she was "blown away with relief for the family".

She added: "People had thought it was a very, very different fate."